Chapter 99: Ye Lingling

After a long time, Duguyan finally released Yu Tianyun's lips, her eyes fixed tightly on his, her voice trembling and choked:

"You heartless bastard, why did you only appear now? I thought... I thought you'd never come back."

Her eye sockets were still red, the crystal-like tears quivered on her eyelashes like dazzling gems, ready to fall at any moment.

Yu Tianyun gently wiped the tears from her cheek, his eyes full of tenderness, and softly said:

"Yanyan, how could I bear to leave you? It's just that some matters were beyond my expectation, so I was delayed this long."

Duguyan scolded him with a light punch to his chest, the force like a gentle caress:

"No matter what happens, I can't let you be away from me so long. These days, I've missed you day and night, worried about you—do you know how tormented I've been?"

Yu Tianyun lifted her jade hand, placed it to his lips for a gentle kiss, solemnly promising:

"Yanyan, it will never happen again. No matter how many storms lie ahead, I'll hold your hand tightly, stay by your side, and never let you suffer any grievance or harm."

Duguyan released Yu Tianyun's embrace, smoothed her somewhat disheveled hair, tried to restore a normal expression, then turned to Teacher Qin: "Teacher Qin, this is my fiancé; we need some time. I'm afraid I can't attend today's training."

Qin Ming looked at the blissful Duguyan, furrowed his brows slightly, a hint of helplessness, but soon smiled and nodded:

"Go ahead, enjoy yourselves."

Duguyan cast a grateful glance at Qin Ming, then again took Yu Tianyun's hand, eager to leave the training ground.

They arrived at a tranquil garden, a breeze brushed by, petals fell like snow. Duguyan found a bench and sat, Yu Tianyun sat beside her.

Duguyan turned her head, looking at Yu Tianyun, her gaze holding both reunion joy and lingering worry, and said:

"Teacher Qin is always strict; he values training and studies highly, so he least wants to see trainees miss class without reason."

Yu Tianyun nodded slightly, his gaze never leaving Duguyan, speaking nonchalantly:

"I understand, but in my heart, nothing matters compared to being with you. Even the whole world can't match your smile or a hug."

Hearing Yu Tianyun's words, Duguyan felt sweet, but her eyes instantly filled with concern, looking at Yu Tianyun, she asked:

"Quickly tell me, what exactly delayed you so long?"

She was eager to know Yu Tianyun's experiences during that time.

Yu Tianyun sighed lightly, and slowly said, "I entered a secret realm of my clan; there were many rare opportunities, but danger shadowed me. I lost track of time inside, and every hard night I saw your figure in my mind."

Yu Tianyun vividly recounted his journey to Dragon Valley once more.

Not long after, he finished the outline, Duguyan gently rested on Yu Tianyun's shoulder, her voice as soft as spring breeze: "As long as you return, everything's fine. Compared to those opportunities, I just want you to come back safely."

Yu Tianyun stroked her hair, feeling its silky texture, and said affectionately:

"Yanyan, I'll always stay by your side. By the way, I heard from grandpa you broke through to level 54?"

"Hmm, when your older brother was still around, he could spar with me a few moves; now my teammates aren't my match."

Mentioning this, Duguyan's tone carried a hint of pride, but then a trace of loneliness flashed in her eyes: "However, I feel that because I'm too strong, there's a subtle barrier between me and everyone else; aside from Lingling, I'm not close with other teammates. But with you by my side, they don't matter."

"Lingling? That's the girl in your team, right?"

Yu Tianyun asked curiously.

"Yes, Lingling is my best friend; actually she's pitiful. Speaking of her, her fate is similar to mine. Our Bilin Snake martial soul defect caused my parents to leave early, and I grew up relying on grandpa."

Duguyan fell into recollection, her voice low and sorrowful, "And the Nine-Heart Begonia lineage, on this continent, only two Soul Masters can possess this martial soul at the same time. To let her awaken the Nine-Heart Begonia martial soul, her blood relatives had to sacrifice themselves to pave the way. Since she awakened, she's borne too much, living in self‑blame."

As she spoke, Duguyan's voice carried deep sympathy.

Suddenly, Duguyan thought of Ye Lingling; since she could reverse fate with a celestial herb, perhaps Ye Lingling could too. She felt an urge to have Yu Tianyun pick a celestial herb for Ye Lingling, but then thought Yu Tianyun and Ye Lingling have no relation, no reason to give such treasure to an outsider, so she couldn't bring it up.

Yet Ye Lingling is her best friend; she can't bear to let her suffer another tragedy. How could she make Yu Tianyun willingly give Ye Lingling a celestial herb? Yu Tianyun didn't know Duguyan's thoughts, changed the subject, and stated the purpose of this trip:

"Yanyan, I'm now studying at Lanba Academy, preparing for the All-Continent Advanced Academy Soul Master Elite Competition in two years. Leave Tiandou Royal Academy and come here!"

"Alright, wherever you go I'll follow, but can we bring Lingling? She has no friends here; if I leave, she'll be even lonelier."

Duguyan looked at Yu Tianyun with hopeful anticipation, a barely perceptible cunning flashing in her eyes.

Yu Tianyun naturally wouldn't refuse, smiling and said:

"Of course, Nine-Heart Begonia Soul Masters are extremely rare, and their healing is powerful; no one wouldn't want such a teammate."

"But Teacher Qin surely won't let us go easily; your older brother's departure already gave him a headache; if we both leave, the Huangdou Battle Team could be disbanded."

Duguyan furrowed her brows, a face full of worry, the delicate lines like a flaw on a beautiful painting.

"Stop overthinking; these aren't our concerns. Let's go, we'll explain this to Teacher Qin right now."

Yu Tianyun pulled Duguyan's hand, giving her strength; his broad warm palm was like a shelter from the storm.

"Hmm."

Duguyan nodded, stood up with Yu Tianyun, hand in hand, walking toward Qin Ming's direction. Sunlight filtered through mottled leaves, casting two slender, intertwined shadows on them.

Soon the two returned to the Huangdou Battle Team training ground; Qin Ming was still directing a few people in cultivation.

Duguyan rushed straight to Ye Lingling, voiced her thoughts. Ye Lingling felt reluctant to leave Tiandou Royal Academy, after all she'd studied here for many years and knew every plant and tree; moving to an unfamiliar place would be uncomfortable.

But she was even more unwilling to part from Duguyan, her only friend; after a slight hesitation, she nodded in agreement.

(End of chapter)